Clueless Musto Claims Credit For Work Of Others–Ignores Support For Conflicts Of Interest, Dark Money, Release Of Grisly Sandy Hook Images

It’s standard practice for lazy elected officials to claim credit for the work of others, but State Senator Anthony Musto has a way of pigging credit to a whole new level while ignoring his dubious support of legislation counter to the interests of constituents in Bridgeport, Trumbull and Monroe. Musto, this latest legislative session, led the charge against a proposal to prohibit Bridgeport city employees from serving on the City Council thus eliminating numerous conflicts of interests. He was one of just two state senators who supported the public release of images of slaughtered Sandy Hook children. He also led the charge to water down campaign finance reform in the cause of special interests greasing his reelection campaign.

In a taxpayer-paid newsletter he writes shamelessly:

This month I led passage of a bill that gives law enforcement officers increased ability to fight criminal activity in Connecticut’s neighborhoods. We have passed nuisance abatement laws in the past year that resulted in the closure of several illegal massage parlors and other unsavory businesses. This new law is the next step toward improving the quality of life and safety of our communities.

This bill allows law enforcement personnel to pursue the closure of establishments based on a broadened set of safety concerns. Law enforcement will now be able to aggressively pursue legal action against any establishment participating in criminal activity. Closing the seedy establishments that have infiltrated our communities will have a positive impact on quality of life and bring new economic growth.

Musto had nothing to do with the idea, cause, design or authorship of what he claims above. He did not even co-sponsor the bill. It was the work of State Rep. Auden Grogins, and others such as State Senator Andres Ayala, in response to constituent concerns. It has a number of legislators wondering what planet Musto’s orbiting.

Fact: Musto was a chief opponent of a bill co-sponsored by State House members Jack Hennessy and Grogins to enforce Bridgeport’s City Charter prohibiting city employees from serving on the City Council and eliminating conflicts of interests such as councilors approving their own wages and benefits. In opposing the bill Musto caved to the political profiteers in the city he fears.

Fact: Musto was a chief architect watering down Connecticut’s landmark campaign finances reform, allowing special-interest money to flood into his reelection campaign and his political cronies.

Fact: Musto was one of just two state senators to support public disclosure of images of slaughtered Sandy Hook children in defiance of the wishes of victims’ parents. If Musto had his way those images would be splattered all across the internet.

Now, does Musto take credit in his newsletter for supporting conflicts of interest? Is he taking credit for watering down campaign finance reform? Is he taking credit for urging the release of images of massacred children?

No, he’s taking credit for the good work of others to cover his dubious votes.

21 Comments so far ↓

Hey Lennie, they all do it!
I remember when the Banshee robbed Bob Keeley’s Gateway Project for Brooklawn.
Someone said Banshee took all the credit and bows, her vertebra are now out of place.www .ct.gov/malloy/cwp/view.asp?A=4010&Q=481580

Sonny Fox, it’s one thing to claim credit for a common public improvement, totally another for shamelessly taking credit for a major piece of legislation that impacts quality of life and provides tools to law enforcement. Musto did not even co-sponsor the bill he shamelessly calls his own. As for the Brooklawn improvements, Keeley never shepherded the proposal through to the Bond Commission. That was done by Grogins who prevailed upon the governor to place the item on the agenda. The press release you posted is from June 2011. Grogins had been in office officially for roughly two and a half years. She defeated Keeley in August 2008 in a Democratic primary.

Lennie, Bob Keeley did. He shepherded and secured the Brooklawn Gateway money through the State Bond Commission on Dec, 12, 2007. Then he lost re-election in 2008.
In 2011, the Brooklawn Bond project fell into the lap of Banshee Grogins while she took credit for the good works of Bob Keeley.
So one can now say Musto and the Banshee are cut from the same cloth.

Lennie, come on now, you know just like Jimfox said, “they all do it.” Look at how many City Council members took credit for every move Mayor Gamin made but they didn’t, then played dumb when he got in trouble. Elected officials do it at every level of government, they take credit for things they didn’t do and lie about things they should have done. They are always believing voters don’t know or won’t remember at election time and sadly they have been correct. Who is at fault? All of us.

There were no improvements to the Brooklawn area under Keeley. He promised and promised, but somehow the improvements did not happen on his watch. They did happen on Auden’s watch. That is a fact.

I think, although I am not positive, Fairfield had more than a little to do with the esplanade improvements on Brooklawn Ave as well. The road, route 59, is located half in Bridgeport and half in Fairfield, however it is a state road, so the state had some obligation there as well.

Keeley was ineffective, and we were well rid of him. Grogins is very effective, and we are lucky to have her. Musto, on the other hand, is bordering on gangster. He needs to pack up his violin case and head on back into the Mobster movie he thinks he is starring in.

Come on Lennie, give Musto a break. I’m sure there are many great things Musto did for which he hasn’t claimed credit. Here is one: A decade ago, Musto cleaned up the contamination on 53 and 85 Seaview Avenue. No one knew about this because the Julians wanted to keep this information “private.” It’s unbelievable no one–not even Andre Baker–is willing to take the time to take a closer examination as to the true level of contamination on this land, the danger it represents, and most importantly the cost of the remediation. As I stated before, the old Bill Finch Chevy Celebrity would be worth more than the land. Heck, the Public Works mechanics can convert the Celebrity into an amphibious vehicle to be used to ferry the people across to Pleasure Beach for under $25,000.

“I would not want to see the opportunity to have that land go to somebody else,” she said.

The one sure thing they should not be doing is rushing this deal. Susan Branelly is one of few people who would purchase contaminated land with no questions asked. It’s not her money. The land has been the property of the Julians for a very long time and no one wants to buy the land due to the contamination.

Surprised to see a newsman going after someone who voted to keep the Freedom of Information Act intact. If the government has a document, you should be able to see it. Simple.

Perhaps the police might take a moment to evaluate whether there is a need to take thousands of photographs in a situation where the perpetrator is obviously deceased (and thus having no law enforcement value whatsoever).

And as I remember, a few years ago Musto did nothing to help increase the minimum wage which is curious since his brother owns a restaurant … an industry that has frequently been hostile to any increases.

It is very curious with all of Lennie’s anti-Musto blogs, you would think someone would say here I am. But they have not. WHY? Because maybe only bloggers here think he sucks. Isn’t this the perfect weekend to announce your intentions?

Senator Musto will lose if he runs in the next election. He doesn’t represent the interests of his constituents, he tries to claim credit for things he did not do, he obstructs good governance and home-rule legislation, and he doesn’t even have the professional courtesy to respond to constituent inquiries. He wants to be a judge but he doesn’t act like one. His defeat will be a top priority and several well-qualified people are interested in taking him on.